Not only has the project delivered a beautiful and smart installation, it has changed the physical environment and this in turn has helped change attitudes and culture in the Gallery and how staff can access, engage with and manage the collections...read more

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Robin - National Portrait Gallery

Photograph & Negative Storage

It offers versatile and cost effective photographic archive storage for all formats.

Almost all archives possess some type of photographic collection. Polstore have developed Photo-Store, a specialist range of high-density cabinets and modular shelving. Our steel storage cabinet range is ideal for the high density storage of artefacts, high value and fragile items. The benefits of Photo-Store are:

Photo-Store cabinets replace traditional wooden shelving units that have a tendency to off-gas volatile organic compounds which can be damaging to photographic collections. All Polstore’s systems have specialist inert water based-finishes, minimising the release of harmful gases.

Ideally collections are accommodated in the correct temperature and humidity levels. However, where budgets may not permit this, Photo-Store provides a cost effective solution to protect and preserve a wide range of photographic formats.

Accessibility to collections is crucial as, until fully digitised, they often require regular referral. Photo-store cabinets are designed with labelled divisions to enable maximum visibility and ease of access to negatives facilitating retrieval and minimising risk of damage.

Cabinet drawer sizes can be tailored to house variable formats ensuring the maximum utilisation of space. A single Polstore drawer can accommodate up to 200kgs of negatives.